The outdoor recreation boom is paying dividends — as much as $20,000 per year — for farmers and ranchers using alternative passive income strategies by listing their land for hunting, fishing and other activities. In a free webinar, set for Tuesday, June 20, at 12 p.m. CDT, landowners will share how they have added income to their operations. Hosted by LandTrust.com and Farm Journal, the webinar is free, but attendees must register to access the session. Register now at: https://fjwebinars.com/account/register/agweb/171.
The National Corn Growers Association’s (NCGA) Corn Board has elected Ken Hartman Jr. to become the organization’s next first vice president for the new fiscal year, which begins October 1, 2023. Hartman is a fifth-generation farmer who operates a grain farm along with his wife, Anita, daughter, Amanda, and mother, Joann in Waterloo, Illinois.
More than 150 farmers and ranchers from across the country traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet directly with lawmakers and discuss priorities for the 2023 farm bill. The American Farm Bureau Federation Advocacy Fly-In included remarks from Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Penn.) and Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member John Boozman (R-Ark.). House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member David Scott (D-Ga.) sent a video message.
Potato retail sales increased 16 percent in sales but decreased in volume by -4.4 percent from January to March 2023 compared to the same timeframe a year ago, according to Potatoes USA. Despite a decrease, volume sales remain above pre-pandemic levels.
The National Cotton Council (NCC) has scheduled tour dates and locations for the 2023 Producer Information Exchange (P.I.E.) Program. During the week of August 13-18, producers from the Southwest and West will see Mid-South farming operations in Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. The second tour, set for August 20-25, will enable Southeast and Mid-South producers to travel to the Southwest and observe farming operations in south Texas.
The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) elected its 2023-24 officer team during its annual Leadership Summit, June 10-14 in Sacramento, CA. The members of the new officer team, beginning official duties on July 1, are: Chair David Armstrong, Sakata Seed America; First Vice Chair Dan Foor, DLF North America; and Second Vice Chair Dave Treinen, Syngenta.
The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) released a report finding that 97% of fruits and vegetables sampled within the state in 2021 met federal pesticide safety standards. The 2021 California Pesticide Residue Monitoring Program Report shows that 97% of domestically grown and imported produce samples collected in 2021 had either no detectable pesticide residues or had residues within the allowable federally-established tolerances. In addition, more than 98% of produce samples labeled as “grown in California” had no residues or tolerances that exceeded allowable levels.
The Sunbelt Ag Expo is proud to continue the tradition of the Farmer of the Year Program into 2023. The Farmer of the Year Program selects one farmer from each of the participating states and recognizes them at the Sunbelt Ag Expo, where the overall winner is announced.
The 2023 Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue is scheduled for October 24-26 in Des Moines, Iowa. The theme Harnessing Change is a deliberate progression of the 2022 theme, Feeding a Fragile World. After focusing on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and conflict, this year will address harnessing innovation, adaptation and diversification to improve systemic resilience, recover from shocks and sustainably nourish all people.
